More Airline Seats Available

Aloha Kakou:

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) expects and increase of 5.1% in the number of airline seats available to Hawaii from April through June of 2010 compared to a year ago.

That percentage increase amounts to an additional 2.3 million seats.

Maui's share is up 13.8%.

http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2010/03/29/daily11.html

February Visitors Up, Spending Flat

Aloha Kakou:

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) today released February's visitor industry numbers. While statewide visitor expenditures remained flat compared to 2009, the number of visitors to Maui who came by air increased this year by 7.2%. The HTA attributes the increase in Maui's visitors to the additional direct flights into Kahului airport. Please see the press release for more detailed numbers.


February 2010 Visitor Stats News Release (Final)

Where Was This?

Aloha Kakou:

We get mentioned in the strangest places. I've never heard of this site, but I'll take any notices I can get!

http://buy247.co.cc/anyone-been-to-hawaii-for-their-honeymoon-can-u-recommend-some-nice-hotel-where-can-i-get-cheap-tickets.html

Outrigger Maui Eldorado Blog Mention

Aloha Kakou:

Outrigger Maui Eldorado, as mentioned on Angela Schrenk's Aspire2Travel blog:

http://bit.ly/9ZNKaT

Her rate, including air and hotel from Phoenix to Maui is $2541.20 for two people.

Appealing Your Tax Assessment

Aloha Kakou:


In the Letters to the Editor section of today's Maui News is an opinion by Bruce Faulkner, president of the Realtors Association of Maui. His op-ed piece is regarding appealing your property tax assessment and he includes a paragraph regarding leasehold apartments:


"Another stumbling block involves leasehold apartments. Because the leasehold apartment owner does not have a fee-simple interest in the ground under the apartment, the market value of a leasehold apartment is often considerably less than similar fee-simple apartments. But the law does not recognize the difference when it comes to property taxes. Leasehold properties are taxed as if they are fee simple. We often hear leasehold apartment owners complain that is not fair. It may not be but it is how the tax code is written and appeals based on leasehold values not being equal to fee simple do not succeed."


http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/529920.html?nav=18

"Recovery Has Begun"

Aloha Kakou:

The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) says that Hawaii's economic recovery has begun, according to a report the group released today.

UHERO is projecting a 2.9% visitor increase for 2010 compared to 2009.

http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/529904.html?nav=10

Rates Down, Occupancy Up

Aloha Kakou:

Hotel room occupancy on Maui increased to 76.4% for the week ending March 20th.

Revenue, however, is a different story, falling 14% from the same period a year ago to $221.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2010/03/22/daily29.html?s=industry&i=travel